Viral Meningitis & Herpes

I came down with a horrific headache one night. I felt a little achey too. My back and my neck with sore. I was sure I was coming down with a bug of some sort. The next day the head pain was intense. By noon I asked my husband to take me to urgent care. I was there for 5 hours. They gave me morphine and demerol. I had no relief and kept accusing the nurse of not giving me the pain meds because the pain was so intense. They finally put me in an ambulance and took me to the hospital. They did a spinal tap and told my husband I had to be admitted because I had spinal meningitis. At least they had a pain med that took away the pain - dilaudin. I was there for 4 days while they gave me doses of antibiotic and acyclovir. They finally determined that it was herpetic viral meningitis. I have herpes zoster that breaks out on the base of my spine and on the inside of my leg. The herpes virus went up the nerve ending on my spine and traveled to my brain. I don't wish that pain on anyone. Thought I would share me experience. Has anyone else had one similar? Bev

I came down with a horrific headache one night. I felt a little achey too. My back and my neck with sore. I was sure I was coming down with a bug of some sort. The next day the head pain was intense. By noon I asked my husband to take me to urgent care. I was there for 5 hours. They gave me morphine and demerol. I had no relief and kept accusing the nurse of not giving me the pain meds because the pain was so intense. They finally put me in an ambulance and took me to the hospital. They did a spinal tap and told my husband I had to be admitted because I had spinal meningitis. At least they had a pain med that took away the pain - dilaudin. I was there for 4 days while they gave me doses of antibiotic and acyclovir. They finally determined that it was herpetic viral meningitis. I have herpes zoster that breaks out on the base of my spine and on the inside of my leg. The herpes virus went up the nerve ending on my spine and traveled to my brain. I don't wish that pain on anyone. Thought I would share me experience. Has anyone else had one similar? Bev

Even though I have never had spinal meningitis (that i am aware of), I do in fact suffer from the same issues as you do...I have varicella zoster as well, and mine is around the same lower regions of my body....I get flare ups a lot, from high stress, periods, diet, etc, so I take acyclovir every single day...You can imagine how much meds I've been on, since being diagnosed at 19 yrs old, 3 yrs ago....I've been through a lot, and I am constantly fatigued, and I get sick very easily as well, as having HSV type 1, the one that causes cold sores....I'm sorry about the extreme pain you had to undergo, to understand what was wrong....I too know the "waiting game"...I've recently had a lot of bloodwork done, for being excessively tired, and found out I had a recent flare up from herpes zoster, as well as testing pos+ for Cytomeglevirus? spelling? aka. CMV. I did tons of research, and it's fairly common, and According to my doctor it is a part of the herpes family tree, that causes all the junk like we have, zoster, chickenpox, shingles etc....She is now worried, that I may have hepatitis....So I am awaiting more bloodwork on the hep screen, as well as an annual HIV test...I am thoroughly WORE OUT! If they draw anymore blood, I will be lifeless, I tell you! hehehe...I know it's not fun at all to go through what you did, but I read it with warning, since I too, suffer from piercing migraines, and aches and pains from zoster...I hope you at least don't flare up as much as I do...Thank you for posting, because I can def relate to you, and I am glad you are healthy now, and keep your chin up

Hi I just want to say...DITTO, DITTO, DITTO,....mine breaks out at the base of my spine on my butt...has for years..also CMV is a herpe family member...so is Epstein Barr...yikes all kinds of those little critters out there....

The doctor I am seeing now put me on Valtrex...works better for me than the acylovir...might want to try it....1,000 mg twice a day....